The Resistance
In Zekian history, the Resistance encompasses various social movements, ideologies, and groups that opposed the Aglesi imperiorate and strove to fundamentally reform it or otherwise abolish it. The Resisters, as they came to be called, were not all united politically or morally but rather came from diverse sociopolitical and ethical systems. In fact, many of them were fundamentally opposed to each other. However, all of them endeavored peacefully to bring about change in a society they deemed morally corrupt. Background Of the Kanjeii, Mizwe, and Uae before Aglesiurr For most of the history, the Kanjeii, Mizwe and Uae lived in extremely distinct manners from each other in religion, language, and politics. The Kanjeii hunted for their food and differentiated between men and women, appointing men as hunters and chiefs and women as chefs, child-carers, and medicians. They believed physical strength to be a virtue, and thus the fathers often left severely disabled children to die. They did consider women as equals, recognizing their liberty to speak on issues concerning the tribe and appointing them judges and magistrates. Men and women could marry each one partner of the opposite gender. They worshiped various gods and communicated with various spirits and often performed "arts of the spirits". The Mizwe planted crops in the soil and assigned similar roles to men and women.'' ^zekeumrwambi (peace with nature) was deemed a high virtue, the greatest good one could do. Homosexuality and polygamy were frowned upon. Art was highly valued, and the Mizwe form of writing was actually in itself an art form called ''rijwi "of the mind, painting," used to express both concrete entities and abstract concepts. The Uae lived in open fields, off the land, and considered men and women equal. In fact, they did not even use separate words for man and woman, using the gender-neutral (pro)noun ua to refer to either male or female. Though the Kanjeii, Mizwe, and Uae expressed themselves differently, their chiefs akakan Uhu, uma Aia, and yiearuae Ubelebele agreed to establish a confederation for the mutual assurance of their survival. Kamizuae Kamizuae was the tribal confederation of the Kanjeii, Mizwe, and Uae. The intermingling of their respective cultures led to profound change in their region. Because the Uae considered all human beings equal, they denounced the leaving of profoundly disabled children to die and established that mothers should be allowed, nay, recognized their right to care for their children. They showed the Kanjeii and the Mizwe how to survive during the famines and taught them how to plant crops. The Mizwe brought about a system of solid law that does not "sway with the waves of the hearts of man" according to the principle of ^zekeumrwambi, that all law need be established to maintain the peace. They spoke highly of fidelity within interpersonal relationships and the need for all persons of an ui to be honest with each other. They also developed well-expressive art forms, such as paintings, sculptures, garments, and writing systems. The Kanjeii brought about the idea that "man is to look unto the gods as his friends, whom he shall help and who help him in times of need." They established that man is for woman and woman for man, to be against each other but not enemies, not of the same blood but of the same family. They extended the ui ''beyond a person's immediate family to all those he comes to know. They developed a language and called it Zekaisivarsi and themselves Zekaiseii, "those who love peace." The Rise of the Aglesi 'Aglesi' were a warlike people, acquiring land by plunder and slaughter. They were governed by ''uku, military generals who controlled the people through their kill skill. They conquered their neighbors and created an empire for themselves. They abhorred the concepts of interpersonal fidelity and peace and sought to raise themselves up through conquest. The birth of the Resistance "God, goodness, government" God, goodness, government was a treatise written by Aubel, a social theologian, who argued that "God, being good, appoints leaders who do good and govern benevolently; being good, God does not approve of wicked governments." He argued therefore that "God henceforth ordains us the people to overthrow the Aglesi regime." He cited their propensity to warfare, oppression of women, unjust subjugation of children, suppression of minority cultures, slaughter of political enemies, and irreverence toward natural law as reasons to resist the Regime. The imperiorate denounced Aubel as a "counterrevolutionary seditionist who is hungry for the destruction of the State" and deemed him an enemy of the people, and they searched for him in order to imprison him. He willingly surrendered himself, saying, "I am he who desires to destroy your Regime, for none can reform it. I go to prison, not for your honor, but so as not to start a bloodbath." Nobles' revolt Various nobles held by the imperiorate, including soldiers and watchmen, began to resent their living conditions. They became angry that the imperial family hoarded power for themselves, used the nobles' property at will, and often stripped the nobles of liberty on false charges of non-fealty. Spread to society at large At first, the Resistance was primarily a matter of theologians, philosophers, and persons working directly for the emperor.